Device for setting fire rings in cylinder head gaskets

ABSTRACT

Device for setting fire rings in gaskets which comprises means for supporting a metallic sheet provided with holes having upstanding cylindrical rims dimensioned and positioned to register with holes in the gasket, means for cutting rings encircling these rims, means for locating the gasket on the rings so that the rims project through the gasket holes, and means for pressing the rims are down against the gasket. The invention includes a machine which carries out all but the first of these steps successively and automatically.

United States Patent [191 Pommier June 12, 1973 DEVICE FOR SETTING FIRE RINGS IN [56] References Cited CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventor: Pierre Pommier, Saint-Priest, France 3,513,525 5/1970 Flachbarth 29/2008 Assignee: societe Anonyme dim: Cefilac Paris, 3,570,095 3/1971 Miner 29/200 B France Primary ExaminerThomas I-I. Eager [22] Filed: July 13, 1972 Att0meyJoseph F. Brisebois et al. [21] Appl. No.: 271,267 57 ABSTRACT Related Application Data lDevice for setting fire rings in askets hich o prises g w c m 2 g gj g 77341 1970 means for supporting a metallic sheet provided with holes having upstanding cylindrical rims dimensioned [301' v Forei n A cation Prior" Data and positioned to register with holes in the gasket, g pp y means for cutting rings encircling these rims, means for Oct. 10, 1969 France 6934752 locating the gasket on the rings so that the i p j through the gasket holes, and means for pressing the [52] US. Cl 29/200.B rims are down against the gasket The invention [51] It. CI B23) 19/00 cludes a machine which carries out all but the first of [5 8] Field of Search 29/200 B, 5 l22,92/(4)80Rl,) these Steps successively and automatically 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTE JUN] 2197a SHEET 1 [IF 6 PATENTEB JUN 2 I975 SHEET 3 [IF 6 MQE PATENTEL J'JTH 21975 SHEET l 0F 6 m mm vm I 1 I m l DEVICE FOR SETTING FIRE RINGS IN CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS This is a division of application Ser. No. 77,841 filed Oct. 5, 1970, which resulted in US. Pat. 3,964,889, granted Oct. 3, I972.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is conventional to provide the holes in gaskets of the type used in motors, and in particular cylinder head gaskets, with linings in the form of metallic rings, called fire rings.

Heretofore, these metallic rings have been mounted in the gasket by means of a tool which, in the course of its descent, applied the cylindrical upper part of the ring to the upper surface of the gasket. The lower part of the ring comprised a flange cut from the original me- 7 tallic sheet and was applied to the lower face of the gasket. v

This technique necessitated the successive supplying of the tool with rings, as well as repositioning at each descent of the die. Moreover, this positioning leads to errors because the different rings applied to a single gasket could be intentionally geometrically different,

but these differences were in some cases, hard to detect with the naked eye. This resulted in a slow rate of manrying setting punches positioned above the die-carrying plate and adapted to slide in the same direction with respect to the die-carrying plate against the resistance of a spring which normally maintains the two" plates spaced from each other until forcibly brought together. A pressure plate is positioned beneath the die-carrying plate and this pressure plate is capableof sliding in the same direction with respect to the die-carrying plate and the plate which carries the setting punches. This pressure plate is normally spaced from the plate carrying the setting punches by a spring passing through the die-carrying plate so that when downward pressure is applied to the plate carrying the setting punches the consequent downward movement brings the pressure plate against the upper surface of the cylinder head gasket mounted on top of the cutting die, after which only the plate carrying the setting pins continues to move with respect to the die carrying plate until it comes in contact therewith to drive it and the die in the direction of the metallic sheet positioned on its support.

According to another characteristic of this device, the support holding the metallic sheet may consist of a plate capable of sliding with respect to the fixed framework and normally held in its upper position by a compression spring bearing on the lower part of the fixe'd framework. This plate acts as a lower pressure plate This device makes it possible to utilize a method of setting metallic fire rings in the corresponding orifices of a cylinder head gasket which comprises the the step of providing a flat metallic sheet having orifices therein encircled by cylindrical bent-up edges, the dimensions of which correspond to the dimensions of the orifices in the cylinder head gasket and the relative positions of which correspond to the relative positions of the orifices in this gasket. This sheet is positioned on a support, and the rings are cut from this sheet while leaving around each cylindrical portion a flange in the plane of the sheet, without modifying the initial position of the rings on the support. The cylinder head gasket is placed on this sheet so that the cylindrical parts thereof pass through corresponding orifices in the gasket and one of the surfaces thereof comes in contact with the flange. The cylindrical parts are then bent back against the surface of the cylinder head gasket on the opposite side thereof from the surface in contact with the flange.

In one particular variation of this method the orifices having bent-up edges are formed in the sheet before it is positionedon the support.

It is accordingly the object of the invention to provide a device for carrying out the above process characterized-by the fact that it comprises a support having at least one cutting punch, on which the sheet rests at the level of the corresponding orifices in the gasket, and a mobile assembly above this support comprising a cutting die the upper face of which carries the cylinder head gasket through an independent plate. This mobile member also comprises at least one deformable punch for setting the rings in the gasket.

. According to one particular characteristic of this device, the mobile member comprises, slidably mounted on a fixed frame, a die-carrying plate carrying therebeneath at a certain distance, the cutting die, a plate carand is provided with perforations which permit the passage of cutting punches fixed to the framework. This plate sinks downwardly against the resistance of its spring when the lower face of the cutting die strikes the metallic sheet. This has the effect of cutting out the rings whichare retained by the cutting punches during the descent of the sheet gripped between the die and the lower plate. The plate-is resiliently returned upwardly during the retraction of the die.

The invention also relates to cylinder head gaskets provided with rings according to the process described above.

The invention will be better understood from a study of the following description, given purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings on which:

FIG. l is a top plan view of the device according to the invention;

FIGS. 2 to 6 represent vertical sectional views taken along the line "-11 of FIG. 1, showing it in successive stages of'operation.

FIGS. 2A, 5A and 6A are schematic enlargements of parts shown on a smaller scale in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, respectively. I

The device according to the invention comprises a fixed frame 1 carrying a certain number of vertical columns 2 on which the guides 3 fixed to a die carrying plate 4 are slidable. This plate is attached to a cutting die fastened therebeneath by means of posts 6. The upper surface of the cutting die 5 carries a holding plate 7 through which pass the centering pins 8 for exactly positioning the cylinder head gasket 9 by means of corresponding holes therein.

As the plate 7 moves with respect to the die 5 it is guided by tenons sliding in grooves in the posts 6.

The die-carrying plate 4 is provided with a certain number of orifices 10 adapted to guide columns 11 fixed to a plate 12 which carries the setting punches. This plate is normally spaced from the plate 4 by a compression spring 13 as shown in FIG. 2 which illustrates the rest position of the apparatus. A stop 14 which engages the lower surface of the die-carrying plate 4 defines the position of maximum separation of the two plates.

A pressure plate 15 is attached to a certain number of columns 16 which pass freely through the diecarrying plate 4 to slide in orifices 17 in the plate 12 in which they are guided. A compression spring 18 passing freely through the die-carrying plate 4 biasses the pressure plate 15 away from the plate 12 carrying the punches. A catch 16a at the upper end of the column 16' then engages the bottom of the orifice 17 to prevent the pressure plate 15 from falling. The pressure plate 15 and the die-carrying plate 4 are provided with a certain number of orifices l9 and 20 respectively, through which pass a corresponding number of deformable setting punches 21, which are positioned in the same configuration as the orifices in the cylinder head gasket which are to receive the fire rings.

By applying a downward force in the direction of the arrow F to the plate 12 carrying the setting punches, this plate is moved downwardly without at first carrying with it the die-carrying plate 4. As it descends, the plate 12 drives the pressure plate 15 downward, acting through the spring 18, untilthe pressure plate strikes the upper surface of the cylinder head gasket 9 which is then firmly gripped. Continuing its downward movement, the plate 12 strikes the die-carrying plate 4 which is in turn driven downwardly. This position is shown in FIG. 3.

The metallic sheet 22 is positioned on a plate 23 which is slidable along the cutting punches 26 against .the resistanceof a spring 24 which tends to bias it upwardly. Theplate 23 is, on the other hand, provided with a certain number of orifices 25, each of which is centered on theaxis of one of the setting punches 21'. These orifices 25 admit a certain number of cutting punches 26, each of which carries a centering stud 27 on its upper end. In alignment with each cutting punch 26, attached to the frame 1, is an orifice 28, the shape of whichis identical to that of the orifice 25 in the corresponding plate 23, and located in the cutting die so as to cooperate during the descent of this die with the punch 26 to cut the ring 29 from the sheet 22.

The device operates as follows:

With the device in the starting position represented on FIG. 2,-the"gasket 9 is positioned on the holding plate 7 and thesheet 22, already provided with cylindrical orifices having upwardly bent edges 30, is positioned on the plate, 23which serves as a support. When force. is exerted in the direction of the arrow F, the pressure plate 15 is urged against the gasket 9 so as to hold it inpIace. I I

After'this a plate 12 carrying the setting" punches strikes the die-carrying plate 4 as shown in FIG. 3 and drives it downwardly. I

In the-course of this movementthe die 5,- driven by the posts 6 and the columns 11, strikes the upper surface of the metallic sheet 22 which, being gripped on the other side by the lower plate 23, as shown in FIG. 4, starts to descend against the resistance of the spring 24 as shown in FIG. 5. This cuts the ring 29 from the sheet. The downward movement continues with the gasket 9 coming into a position in which each of its 'orifices is traversed by the cylindrical edge 30 of the corresponding ring-29, with the lower face of the gasket resting on the flange 31 of each ring/At this moment the active pfart21i1of the punch 21, which is made of rubber, enters the ring 29 and encounters the centering plate 27 which serves to hold the ring 29 after it has been cut out.

In this position, shown in FIG. 5, the holding plate 7 is in engagement with a stop 32, and the gasket 9 as well as the upper pressure plate 15 are immobilized.

The downward movement continues so that the punch 21 is compressed against the plate 25., This bends the flange 30 over the 'gasket 9 all the way around the periphery of the orifice in this gasket. At this moment the pressure is stopped and the device is returned to its initial position by the various springs; It then suffices to remove what is left of the sheet22-and the gasket 9 equipped with its fire rings.

It will of course be appreciated that the device which has been hereinbefore described may be modified as to detail without thereby departing from the basic principles of the invention as defined by the following claims.

For example a separate force could be applied to each of the mobile members during its operation.

What is claimed is:

1. Device for setting fire rings in the orifices of a gasket, which device comprises in combination a first support provided with means for holding and positioning thereon a metallic sheet provided with orifices encircled'by cylindrical rims, means for cutting rings encircling said rims from said sheet, a second support provided with means for holding and positioning said gasket thereon, with the orifices in said gasket aligned with those in said sheet, said second support being adapted to be translated in a direction to bring the gasket into contact with the rings cut from the sheet, means comprising at least one deformable punch for flattening the cylindrical rims of the rings against the gasket.

2. Device as claimed in claim [which comprises a support carrying at least one cutting punch aligned with each orifice in said sheet, and a mobile assembly above said cutting punch support comprising a cutting die and said second support, said mobile member comprising also at least one deformable punch for setting said rings in the gasket.

3. Device as claimed in claim 2 in which the mobile assembly comprises, slidably mounted on a stationary framework, a die-carrying plate carrying said cutting die suspended therebeneath at a predetermined distance, a punch-carrying plate carrying said deformable punches positioned above the die-carrying plate and adapted to slide in the same direction as the diecarrying plate against the resistance of a spring normally holding said two plates spaced from each other until it'encounters said die-carrying plate, a pressure plate positioned beneath the die-carrying plate, said pressure plate being adapted to slide in the same direction as the die-carrying plate and the punch-carrying plate, and being normally spaced from the punchcarrying plate by a spring passing freely through the die-carrying plate so that a downward force applied to the punch-carrying plate first brings the pressure plate against the upper surface of a gasket positioned on the upper surface of said second support, after which continued movement of the punch-carrying plate relative to said second support brings the cutting die into contact with a sheet of metal positioned on said first support.

4. Device as claimed in claim 3 in which the-cutting die carries said second support on its upper surface said second support being mounted for sliding translational movement toward and away from said cutting die and guided by tenons sliding in grooves formed posts by means of which said cutting die is suspended from said die-carrying plate.

5. Device as claimed in claim 1 in which said first support for holding the metal sheet comprises a plate adapted to slide in a stationary frame and normally maintained in a raised position by a compression spring resting on the lower part of said stationary frame, said last mentioned plate being provided with perforations permitting the passage of the said cutting punches which are fixed to the framework and provided with centering studs adapted to retain rings cut from said metallic sheet, said last mentioned plate being mounted to move downwardly against the resistance of said spring when the upper surface of the cutting die strikes the metallic sheet during the cutting operation.

6. Device as claimed in claim 4 in which the stationary framework of the device comprises a stop engaged by the first supporting plate carrying the gasket at the moment at which this gasket reaches the level of the rings cut from said metallic sheet.

7. Device as claimed in claim 3 in which the punchcarrying plate is provided with a stop adapted to engage the die-carrying plate opposite the surface thereof facing the punch-carrying plate to limit the separation of the two plates.

8. Device as claimed in claim 3 in which said pressure plate comprises at least one column passing through the die-carrying plate and the punch-carrying plate, the end of said column being provided with a catch adapted to engage a cooperating shoulder on the punch-carrying plate so as to limit the separation between the latter and the pressure plate.

9. Device as claimed in claim 1 in which the diecarrying plate is provided with guides sliding on columns attached to a stationary framework in which said supports are mounted.

10. Device as claimed in claim 3 in which the punch carrying plate is connected to a motor which raises and lowers it. 

1. Device for setting fire rings in the orifices of a gasket, which device comprises in combination a first support provided with means for holding and positioning thereon a metallic sheet provided with orifices encircled by cylindrical rims, means for cutting rings encircling said rims from said sheet, a second support provided with means for holding and positioning said gasket thereon, with the orifices in said gasket aligned with those in said sheet, said second support being adapted to be translated in a direction to bring the gasket into contact with the rings cut from the sheet, means comprising at least one deformable punch for flattening the cylindrical rims of the rings against the gasket.
 2. Device as claimed in claim 1 which comprises a support carrying at least one cutting punch aligned with each orifice in said sheet, and a mobile assembly above said cutting punch support comprising a cutting die and said second support, said mobile member comprising also at least one deformable punch for setting said rings in the gasket.
 3. Device as claimed in claim 2 in which the mobile assembly comprises, slidably mounted on a stationary framework, a die-carrying plate carrying said cutting die suspended therebeneath at a predetermined distance, a punch-carrying plate carrying said deformable punches positioned above the die-carrying plate and adapted to slide in the same direction as the die-carrying plate against the resistance of a spring normally holding said two plates spaced from each other until it encounters said die-carrying plate, a pressure plate positioned beneath the die-carrying plate, said pressure plate being adapted to slide in the same direction as the die-carrying plate and the punch-carrying plate, and being normally spaced from the punch-carrying plate by a spring passing freely through the die-carrying plate so that a downward force applied to the punch-carrying plate first brings the pressure plate against the upper surface of a gasket positioned on the upper surface of said second support, after which continued movement of the punch-carrying plate relative to said second support brings the cutting die into contact with a sheet of metal positioned on said first support.
 4. Device as claimed in claim 3 in which the cutting die carries said second support on its upper surface said second support being mounted for sliding translational movement toward and away from said cutting die and guided by tenons sliding in grooves formed posts by means of which said cutting die is suspended from said die-carrying plate.
 5. Device as claimed in claim 1 in which said first support for holding the metal sheet comprises a plate adapted to slide in a stationary frame and normally maintained in a raised position by a compression spring resting on the lower part of said stationary frame, said last mentioned plate being provided with perforations permitting the passage of the said cutting punches which are fixed to the framework and provided with centering studs adapted to retain rings cut from said metallic sheet, said last mentioned plate being mounted to move downwardly against the resistance of said spring when the upper surface of the cutting die strikes the metallic sheet during the cutting operation.
 6. Device as claimed in claim 4 in which the stationary framework of the device comprises a stop engaged by the first supporting plate carrying the gasket at the moment at which this gasket reaches the level of the rings cut from said metallic sheet.
 7. Device as claimed in claim 3 in which the punch-carrying plate is provided with a stop adapted to engage the die-cArrying plate opposite the surface thereof facing the punch-carrying plate to limit the separation of the two plates.
 8. Device as claimed in claim 3 in which said pressure plate comprises at least one column passing through the die-carrying plate and the punch-carrying plate, the end of said column being provided with a catch adapted to engage a cooperating shoulder on the punch-carrying plate so as to limit the separation between the latter and the pressure plate.
 9. Device as claimed in claim 1 in which the die-carrying plate is provided with guides sliding on columns attached to a stationary framework in which said supports are mounted.
 10. Device as claimed in claim 3 in which the punch carrying plate is connected to a motor which raises and lowers it. 